


He had to be a hero.

by Coreword-Clumsy (perrythedeer)



Category: Anime Campaign! (Web Series), Epithet Erased (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Building Collapse, Death, Downfall Into Insanity, Fluff, Memory Loss, Minor Spoilers, Murder, Parent Death, Spoiler Backstory, Spoiler Character - Freeform, its fine everything is fine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:13:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23895139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perrythedeer/pseuds/Coreword-Clumsy
Summary: Hey so i know nobody knows this character yet, but like, the word 'Heroic' as an epithet probably gives you a lot to live up too lmao.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 4





	He had to be a hero.

California Slim! Five years old- bubbly, happy, excited! He found out his was inscribed because of a word in a book, reading it outloud made the cat that always followed him around bump up against his stomach, mewing at him excitedly and causing him to excitedly wiggle where he sat. His parents were proud- of course they were!

Heroic was a word that ran in the family, it skipped generations sometimes, no one had had it for a little while- his gramma had companion, and she hadn't had a brother. **Heroic** was _his_ word now. He would live up to it- he promised he would! A hundred times over!

California Slim. He was the most heroic and strong kid in school, the seven year old protected everyone he possibly could, he was the kid that would burst in the middle of fights and _talk_ the bullies down from attacking. He was a sweetheart, the kind of kid that sent _everybody_ valentines because nobody deserved to be alone.

He had a friend that constantly followed him around by this point- around his age, maybe a little older. The parents had accepted Alcatraz readily, and Slim had been excited. He'd seen Al take human form and had grabbed his hands and spun around and even jokingly dipped him because he'd seen it in a movie- he'd gotten shoved while he and the epithet laughed.

California Slim. He was standing in the hospital room and holding Alcatraz's hand when he heard the news. The eight year old boy had nearly collapsed right there. A new baby sister.

No more mom.

He'd grabbed onto Alcatraz and buried his face in his brothers chest, he'd hidden away, shut down a little. That was the first sign that should've jumped out to his dad- his reaction was big- and then it was nothing. He'd been standing there and about to cry- and then there was nothing.

Slim didn't remember why he was upset. He didn't know who he was upset over, he didn't remember anything. Alcatraz did- what had happened was an accident- he was there to protect Slim, and seeing him upset like this had triggered an auto-reaction. He'd accidentally taken the boys memories, wiped them to make Slim stop crying.

He moved his arms around his brother and reassured him that everything was fine.

California Slim was the best brother he could be, his two year old sister was developing fast, and was just as bubbly and happy as he was. It was common to find the Slim siblings sitting and playing a random board game and laughing until they couldn't breathe, Alcatraz was glued to Cali's side and Beverly sat happily on his lap, slapping her hands down on her legs excitedly whenever either of her brothers were laughing.

He was ten years old when the accident happened. Slim didn't understand fully- that morning he'd just excitedly been telling his dad about his dream and his dad was setting up the babysitter to make sure someone would be around to watch Bev. Alcatraz was following Slim around happily, bouncing on the balls of his feet and listening to the conversation, piping up every few minutes.

Slim got home to the babysitter being gone and his baby sister crying. He'd swooped the two year old up without hesitation and completely ignored Alcatraz's concern as he checked the voicemails on the home phone.

His dad had died in a car accident. That- he couldn't find it in him to care. It was... strange, scary- the way he went from being about to cry about the fact he was an orphan to feeling nothing in his heart. To not knowing what was wrong. Why'd he have a phone?

He had always been an orphan. His family died a few years ago- he was in charge of Beverly. He had put the phone down and told Alcatraz to follow him. Why did Al look so guilty?

Slim would comfort him later.

California Slim. Thirteen years old- still happy, a bit quieter with it. He protected kids, he protected _Beverly._ That was his job, he was a _hero_ , he _had_ to live up to it. He _had_ too.

His fist had blood on it, a kid on the ground, a bloody nose. He was shaking too hard to think, glaring down at the kid. "Don't threaten my sister you _jackass._ " It was one comment, this kid was his friend. It was a joke. Heroes didn't attack their friends. Alcatraz had grabbed Slims other arm, and was trying to pull him away.

What was wrong with him?

California Slim, sixteen. Beverly was eight years old, excited, bubbly. He was quiet, always smiling, always had his brother around- did his best for Beverly. Was teaching her how to play baseball and tie ribbons and farm- Beverly was interested in cotton farming. Slim was pretty sure cotton was her coreword, but he couldn't be 100%.

He watched her fondly with everything she did, blowing bubbles in her milkshake and getting excited and blowing some of the bubbles at him, a little laugh slipping from him, he was happy to see her happy- whatever that meant. As long as Beverly was okay- he was too! Alcatraz got a bit more pushed to the side, but that didn't matter- Alcatraz was the bestest brother in Beverlys eyes.

Even if Slim had to correct her a few times- say Al was his _epithet_ , they weren't related. Not really- but that didn't mean Alcatraz wasn't important to him. He didn't feel safe if he couldn't see Alcatraz, so he never desummoned him, always had him there. He didn't- it felt _wrong_ without Alcatraz.

He needed him.

California Slim was twenty when it happened. He was getting better again, growing up a bit more helped- he'd made more friends, opened up, was a happy person again, his twelve year old sister was a huge help. Beverly brought light to a room, her happy laughter and the way she'd jokingly brandish her bat that was _far_ too big for her- she liked it though!

She called it Hollywood Boulevard. Slim had said naming it after a street was stupid as a joke, and she said it was a _loving_ name, so it stuck, especially because Alcatraz made the comment on it fitting her bright personality.

He'd invited his friends over and was hanging out, laughter rang through the house as they messed with their epithets and generally just played around- it was safe and calm for awhile- until something was hit. Slim had panicked, and first things first had summoned Alcatraz to his side- who teleported them both out as the accident actually _happened_.

The sound was more terrifying than anything else, the explosion that Slim just watched, limply leaning into Alcatraz with a quiet 'oh' slipping from him. It clicked after a second.

"B-Bev- Beverly- _BEVERLY!_ " Slim yanked away from Alcatraz and ran towards the house, everything had come down, had collapsed, his friends- _class 2_ popped out perfectly fine. Beverly was _twelve_ and a _mundie_ , Slim screamed her name again, and again- the terror in his voice making it raw and broken.

"ccaallll...." it was quiet- nearly gone- there, it was- _it was there_ \- she was calling for him, he just, had to find her, in the panic and the noise and his ringing ears and- His mind was racing "Beverly! I'm coming- i'm coming just hold on!" 

He was a hero, he could be _her_ hero, that- he had to be. _He had to be._

He searched, and listened, and when it was quiet, when he _couldn't_ hear her weak cries? That's when he found her- kind of. He moved the rocks and rubble off her to see glazed over and terrified eyes- gone. She was gone. His baby sister was- it was- their- it- 

Reckless. They were being _reckless_ with their stupid fucking _strong epithets_ and it was _his fault too and-_ He felt something get ripped out of him- and he felt himself shut down, close off, it was like a rubber band snapping. Beverly- he knew her, he didn't know anything about her. He didn't know what happened.

He knew it was these twos faults. They were using their epithets wrong. Recklessly. Rough.

He grabbed her bat from the ground, and carefully took her hat, putting it on and giving a hum. "Don't hate me, Bev." his voice was quiet, but he didn't care- she wouldn't hear him ever again anyway.

When he came back, he was sitting a bit away from the building- his proficiency was messed up, gone? in a way. His hands and arms and chest and face had blood on them, and his sisters- his- _hollywood blvd_ was **_covered_** in it. He didn't care.

He couldn't find it in him to care.

Slim glanced at the armored man sitting next to him. He seemed concerned, and after a moment-

"California, are- you back?" 

He stared, and just shrugged gently, leaning back and propping himself up a little with the bat. The man seemed to frown- why could he tell what the suit of armor was feeling? It was uncomfortable. He didn't like it. He didn't _like_ this guy.

"it's- we have eachother, it'll be fine- or- it'll... we'll recover, we'll handle this. things are bad right now, i get it- but. It'll be better soon."

Slim shrugged again. He didn't even know why he was upset, or why this guy was so worked up over the fact he'd killed some people.

He'd already killed his family on accident. What's a few more on purpose?

He was California Slim.

Epithet Hunter.


End file.
